Safety brake device with force store element

Abstract

A catch device, for example in a safety device of an elevator mechanism, includes at least one first force store element and one second force store element having different force storage rates, and a displacement limit for the first force store element.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention relates to a safety brake device which is, for example, a component of a safety device for elevator equipment. In this connection, the safety brake device serves for fixing an elevator car to a guide rail. Moreover, the present invention relates to a safety device with a corresponding safety brake device, to elevator equipment with a corresponding safety device and to a method for actuating a safety brake device according to the invention.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Elevator equipment usually comprises an elevator car and at least one counterweight, which are moved in opposite sense in an elevator shaft. The elevator car and the at least one counterweight in this regard run in or along guide rails. For reasons of safety, elevator equipment is usually equipped with a safety brake device which is part of a safety device. The safety brake device engages the guide rails of the elevator car and / or of the counterweight. The speed of m...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010]According to the invention the mentioned disadvantages could be eliminated on the one hand by the arrangement of at least two force store elements instead of only one and on the other hand by optimization of the overall path of the force / travel characteristic curve. Moreover, in correspondence with the invention the force store elements can be selected to be different in such a manner that the individual characteristic curves thereof are complementary in a specific manner. Beyond that, it is a feature of the invention that in the design of a safety brake device according to the invention a washer projecting beyond the outer diameter of the force store elements is arranged between the different force store elements. This washer, after a defined degree of compression of the first, weaker force store element, impinges on the end edge of a cylindrical housing which is open at one end and surrounds the weaker force store element. In accordance with the invention it is achieved in this mode and manner that the two force store elements are preserved, because they work only in a region allocated thereto. Moreover, the weaker force store element is no longer loaded to its maximum. A further advantage of the design according to the invention is a more comfortable, gentler response of the safety brake device. The braking force builds up in steps and is not supplied, as in the past, with whole maximum force. In addition, failure of the (first, weaker) force store element means only loss of the just-described increase in comfort and material preservation and no longer automatically failure of the entire safety brake device.

[0013]The resulting characteristic curve of the force store element combination can be non-constant, i.e. from the point at which the end edge of the cylindrical housing impinges on the washer and thus stops further compression of the first, weaker force store element an abrupt decline in or also rise of the braking force value of the safety brake device can occur. However, a preferred design variant of a safety brake device according to the invention allows the second, stronger force store element to connect, by its characteristic curve, seamlessly with the characteristic curve of the first, weaker force store element so that a constant overall characteristic curve of the force store element combination results.

[0018]In order, however, to also be able to bias the second, stronger force store element, a further preferred embodiment of a safety brake device according to the invention provides a spring pin featuring different outer diameters and thus abutments. It is possible with a corresponding biasing device, which separately engages and stresses only the second, stronger force store element, to subsequently achieve a desired amount of bias exclusively for this second, stronger force store element in that, for example, spacer washers are used. These spacer washers impinge on the abutment after release of the biasing device. The spacer washers thus limit or the abutment thus limits relaxation movements, but not compression movements, of the force store element. In order to be able to be subsequently mounted, the spacer washers are preferably formed to be crescent-shaped and can be plugged onto the respective outer diameter of the spring pin. The spacer washers are securable by an enclosure against unintended dropping off. The use in accordance with the invention of a biasing device additionally offers the advantage that in the event of possible disassembly the force store elements can be released from their bias in controlled manner.

[0025]The afore-described safety brake device has the advantage, by comparison with safety brake devices which act on the support means itself, that secure emergency braking can always be carried out irrespective of a support means breakage or irrespective of the point at which the support means breaks.

[0026]Further advantages offered by a safety brake device according to the invention are improved hysteresis characteristics and simplified disassembly when releasing the safety brake device after use or repair or maintenance operations, since a single travel range is newly divided up into two or more travel ranges.

Problems solved by technology

In addition, failure of the (first, weaker) force store element means only loss of the just-described increase in comfort and material preservation and no longer automatically failure of the entire safety brake device.

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